China’s First EtherCAT-Enabled HPM6E00 Chip Completes Initial Verification

Shanghai-based HP Micro Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. has successfully completed the first phase of verification for its high-performance HPM6E00 chip, the first in China to feature an EtherCAT Slave Controller (ESC) authorized by Germany’s Beckhoff.

The company reported that the project’s progress has surpassed initial expectations, with the chip’s power-up, testing, and verification processes completed ahead of schedule. Mass production is anticipated to start in the first half of 2024.

The introduction of the HPM6E00 series marks a significant milestone for the domestic market, demonstrating that China’s high-performance MCU products with embedded ESC on EtherCAT have achieved international standards.

EtherCAT, originally developed by Beckhoff, is a high-performance, low-cost, user-friendly, and flexible industrial Ethernet technology. It has seen rapid growth globally and is currently the most widely used industrial real-time Ethernet protocol. Despite its extensive application in China’s industrial sector, foreign brands have dominated the market for MCU chips used in EtherCAT technology.

The HPM6E00 series, developed by HP Micro Semiconductor, is based on the RISC-V architecture and can reach a main frequency of up to 600MHz. The series offers single and dual-core options and integrates Beckhoff’s authorized EtherCAT Slave Controller. Additionally, it supports Gigabit Industrial Ethernet interconnection and Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN), meeting a wide range of communication needs for bus-type industrial automation equipment.

Furthermore, the HPM6E00 series boasts a precise position electric control system, hardware axis transformation and loop calculation modules, as well as 32 channels of 100ps resolution PWM output.

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